Presently, program content information, for example, song title, artist, record label, etc., is communicated to the customer/listener by announcers' disc jockeys (DJs). In the case of video program transmitted by broadcast means, video text messages are presented between programs and during interruptions of programs. In the case of many premium services, it is undesirable to interrupt programs for presentation of program content information. It may also be undesirable to have any form of announcer or DJ between program or selection of music.
Those such announcers or interruptions of program may be undesirable in some services. Nevertheless, it is highly desirable to communicate program content information. Frustration of customers, and possible loss of revenue due to subscription cancellation can occur if a subscriber has no method of knowing the title, composer or artist of the particular selection of music. To the music industry, identification of recording label and identification number is critical to sale of the recordings. Currently, a subscriber viewing a premium video program must consult a separate listing, tune to a different channel, or wait till the end of the program for its identification.
Similarly, the cable television industry is currently introducing audio-only services. Program content information is printed in a separate listing. These cable "radio stations" may play a continuous succession of musical selections without commercial interruptions. These services may not use a "disc-jockey" to identify the musical or other selections. Instead, under the present invention, data channels will contain information about the music being played.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a display of this data has been envisioned that has been termed an "electronic DJ". This display could be built into the subscriber terminal itself, or it could be a separate display unit that would connect to a port on the rear panel of the terminal.
The problem with such displays is that, unless they are very large and therefore costly, they cannot be easily placed within reading distance of the listener. Long cables for the display would be difficult to route in a typical living room, and we need only look at the success of VCR wired remote controls to convince ourselves that such a tethered display would not be optimum.
Wireless remote controls have brought great convenience to the control of consumer products. Highly intelligent remote controls with liquid crystal displays are available. Programmable and universal "learning" remote controls are available that assume the functions of multiple other controls. These remote controls receive information from each other, and display the functions available to the user.
It can be a frustrating experience to enjoy a piece of music on the radio, only to have the station fail to identify the piece. To lovers of music, having such information as music title, composer, artist and record label is vital. Without this information, the service will be reduced to the level of generic background music.